Mouth guard



May l0, 1955 J. H. SHACKELFORD MOUTH GUARD Filed June 12. 1953 INVENTOR c7. MNM/V S//A CMF/fm@ ATTORNEY United States MOUTH :GUARD John Hinton Shackelford, Baltimore, Md.

Application June 12 ,1953, SeralNo. 361,152

4 Claims. (Cl. 12S-136) The lpresent invention relates to a mouth guard and it .Consists inthe combinations, constructions and arrangements of parts hereindescribed and claimed.

Generally there is provided a mouth guard which is designed to protect the natural teeth during athletic contests. The device is designed to lit over the crowns of the teeth of the upper jaw and to extend upon the tissues adjacent to the teeth thereby affording increased protection. One of the principal features ,of the invention is the provision of novel means whereby the device avoids all pressure .upon the gingival margins of the gums. The device is adapted to tit securely around the individual teeth about vtwo-thirds of the way toward the gum line thereby gaining a part of its retention upon the teeth from its lit thereover and a part of its retention from its extension upon the soft tissues. A clearance of contact is established from approximately the last third of the length of the crown to beyond the gum margin onto the soft tissues of the mouth to thereby avoid irritation of the users gums. The device is of sufiicient thickness, graduating from three to five millimeters over the posterior teeth to from ve to seven millimeters over the anterior teeth to thereby absorb shock and prevent luxation or fracture of the teeth when the jaws are brought violently together by sudden impact. A flange of the guard, approximately three millimeters in thickness, extends upwardly into the space between the upper jaw and the cheek to protect the users teeth from forceful impacts upon and through the cheeks of the user. The device is also helpful in preventing the upper teeth from cutting the tissues of the face at the time of such impacts. The device may be made from a variety of durable elastic materials. The device is designed to eliminate the need for costly individual impressions of each players mouth since it is constructed in accordance with scientically derived average measurements thereby permitting commercial production and distribution to a large number of players at reasonable cost.

lt is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a device of the character set forth having novel means for protecting the gingival margins of the gums of the user.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character set forth which is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and yet effective and efficient in use.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in a device of the character set forth, novel means for protecting the tissues adjacent the teeth of a user.

Another object of the invention is the provision, in a device of the character set forth, of novel means for retaining the same upon the users teeth.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a device of the character set forth which lends itself to manufacture in standardized sizes.

Other and further objects of the invention will become apparent from a reading of the following specification taken in conjunction with the drawing, in which:

Figure l is a side elevational view, partly broken away, of an embodiment of the invention shown in operative position upon Ithe teeth of an upper jaw,

Figure 2 is a front elevational view thereof,

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view-thereof,

Figure 4 is a top plan view .of the device illustrated in Figures l to 3, inclusive,

Figure 5 is a sectional View taken substantially along line 'ii-f5 lof Figure 4, and

Figure 6 isa greatly enlarged sectional view taken substantially along line 6-6 of Figure l.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, there is shown therein, in Figure 6, a molar tooth generally designated at l0 and consistingof pulp tissues 11, Adentin yi2 and enamel i3. The'tooth 10 is provided with the usual roots 14 lembedded in the alveolajbone 15 of the jaw which roots 14 are Aprovided with the peridental membranes 16. At 17 is shown the customary vmucous membrane of the mouth and at 18 the gingival margin of 'the gum. The dotted line 19 represents the greatest width of the exposed portion of the tooth l0 and will hereinafter be referred to as the height of contour of the tooth 16), it being understood that all of the molar teeth encompassed by the .device of the present invention are likewise provided with .a Lfheight of contour .and that, in any particular jaw structure, such Lheight of contour lines are in substantial horizontal alignment.

The device comprising the present invention is generally designated at 2i) and is formed of a single piece of plastic material having a desired degree of flexibility and consists of a base portion 21 whose outer or lower surface 22 is slightly convex as clearly shown in Figure 6 but which lies generally in the same horizontal plane. The upper face 23 of the base 21 is irregularly shaped to substantially comply with and complement the contours of the lower faces of the teeth 16 of the upper jaw of the user.

The device further comprises an integrally formed upwardly extending inner wall 24 adapted to encompass the inner sides of the teeth lil and bear against the marginal portions of the mucous membrane of the roof of the users mouth. There is also provided an integrally formed upwardly extending wall 25 which is adapted to encompass the outer faces of the teeth 1t) and the adjacent portions of the mucous membrance of the mouth and lie between such membrane and the cheeks of the user.

Both of the walls 24 and 25 taper slightly toward their upper edges to relatively narrow rounded upper edges 26. Each of the inner faces of the walls 25 and 24 is provided with a concave portion 27 adjacent the base 2l which concave portions are adapted to closely encompass the enameled portion of the teeth 1t) to points upwardly beyond the height of contour 19 of the teeth 10 and each of the inner faces of the walls 24 and 25 is provided with an upper concave portion 28 providing in each case an opening 29 between the inner face of the respective wall and the gingival margins 18 of the gum. These spaces 29 of course extend in a general horizontal direction throughout the entire wall structures.

In operation, it will be apparent that the mouth guard 20 may be quickly and easily positioned upon the teeth of the upper jaw of the user as shown, for example, in Figure l of the drawing. This is accomplished by placing the device immediately beneath the teeth and then pressing the device upwardly during which operation it will be seen that the Walls 24 and 25 will iirst be forced apart as they approach the height of contour lines of the teeth 10 after which the walls 24 and 25 will return inwardly toward each other through the natural elasticity of the material from which the device is made. Since now the concave portions 27 embrace each tooth l0 beyond the lines of contour i9 it will be readily apparent that the guard 29 will be securely mounted upon the teeth against accidental displacement therefrom. lt will also be seen that the space 29 will fully protect the sensitive gingival margins 18 of the gums since such spaces 29 prevent all Contact between such margins l and the body of the guard 20. When the device is so mounted in the users mouth, it will further be held in position by Contact with the teeth, indicated at 30, of the lower jaw but it will be readily apparent that the device wiil at all times remain upon the teeth of the upper jaw so that there will be no interference with the breathing of the user. The upper edges 26 of the outer wall 24 are provided with indentations 3i to accommodate the contour of the adjacent portions of the users month.

While but one form of the invention has been shown and described herein, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that many minor modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A device of the character described comprising a substantially horizontal base, an upwardly extending outer wall, and an upwardly extending rear wall, said walls being formed integrally with said base and adapted to encompass with said base the teeth and gums of the upper jaw, said device being formed of a yieldab.; material, said walls each being provided in its inner face with a generally horizontally extending groove, and said grooves adapted to encompass in spaced relation thc gingival margins of said gums.

2. A device of the character described comprising a substantially horizontal base, an upwardly extending outer wall, and an upwardly extending rear wall, said walls being formed integrally with said base and adapted to encompass with said base the teeth and gums of the upper jaw, said device being formed of a yieldable material, said walls each being provided in its inner face with a generally horizontally extending groove adjacent said base, said grooves being of arcuate shape in vertical cross sectional area and each being adapted to encompass the outer portions of said teeth to points beyond their greatest width,

3. A device as dened in claim 1 wherein said walls are each provided in its inner face with a generally horizontally extending groove adjacent said base, said grooves being of arcuate shape in vertical cross sectional area and each being adapted to encompass the outer portions of said teeth to points beyond their greatest width.

4. A device in accordance with claim 3 wherein said base is provided with an irregularly shaped upper face adapted to complement the outer faces of teeth placed thereagainst.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 165,584 Hopfen July 13, 1875 

